Pair of Undrafted Free Agents Flash Early in Jets Camp

[JetNation]

By Glenn Naughton

 

With New York Jets camp opening up two days ago in Florham Park, the majority of media attention has been focused on the quarterbacks as the newly re-signed Ryan Fitzpatrick slid right back in to his number one spot on the depth chart with Geno Smith, Bryce Petty and Christian Hackenberg rounding out the group.

Just because all eyes were on the QB’s doesn’t mean that’s where all the plays were being made.  As a matter of fact, a couple of undrafted free agents hoping to find a way to stick on the 53-man roster, made some plays the drew praise from fans and coaches alike.

Leading the way was Ohio State Wide Receiver Jalin Marshall who has made one spectacular catch after another.  Whether it’s been on a high pass over the middle that has seen him elevate above surrounding defenders to come down with it, or a jump ball along the sidelines that Marshall has been able to pivot and high-point to snatch out of the air, he’s been the name most frequently mentioned by onlookers.

Any time you’re dealing with a player from a major college powerhouse such as the Buckeyes, you always have to wonder what kind of players are buried behind a slew of talented players at the same position who may have pro-level ability.  As early as it is, it looks like Marshall may fit that description.

In just two seasons at Ohio State, Marshall was buried behind a loaded group that consisted of a pair of second-round picks that included current Jets receiver Devin Smith and New Orleans Saints 2015 second round choice, Michael Thomas.  Also on that offense was first-round choice, running back Ezekiel Elliott, who was another lethal target out of the backfield.   Even still, Marshall managed to haul in 74 receptions for 976 yards and 11 touchdowns in two seasons.  Now with Marshall, who also returned kicks and punts in college, in the fold, the Jets will look to benefit from his decision to leave school after just one season.

North Carolina’s Romar Morris’ speed has been on full display early on.

Another player who has had his share of moments in the early going is North Carolina running back Romar Morris.

The 5′ 9”, 190 lb Morris wasn’t present at the NFL combine, but reportedly blazed a 4.36 40 time at his pro day, and his college play suggests he has no problem playing at that speed.

Morris was another player who was stuck behind a future NFL talent at North Carolina as current Bengals running back Gio Bernard, who ran for over 2,4oo yards during his two seasons as a Tarheel made it difficult for Morris to get significant carries.

Bernard’s departure would have likely meant more playing time for Morris if not for the fact head coach Larry Fedora shifted his offensive philosophy, allowing his quarterbacks to rack up the majority of his team’s carries while Morris served as a situational runner and special teams standout.

Even still, Morris made the most of what little playing time he had, averaging 4.8 yards per carry during his four seasons at North Carolina, carrying the ball 213 times for 1,024 yards and 12 touchdowns.  In the right offense, Morris has the ability to make plays out of the backfield not only as a runner, but as a receiver.

In what was one of his best collegiate performances,  Morris torched a Louisville defense that consisted of current New York Jets Calvin Pryor and Lorenzo Mauldin.  Against the 19th ranked Cardinals, Morris had just five receptions, but still piled up a whopping 149 yards and a pair of touchdowns through the air.

After watching Morris over the course of the past two days, it’s hard not to be reminded of former Jet Leon Washington who carved out quite a role for himself with Gang Green before moving on after suffering a major leg injury in 2009.

After one of his first carries on day one, a play that had Morris dart up the middle between defenders, fans and members of the media quickly glanced down at their player rosters, clearly wondering who it was.  Then there was a 40 yard run for Morris yesterday that didn’t mean much as there were no pads or tackling, but Morris took the time to show off his speed as he hit fifth-gear going down the sideline.   It was difficult not to imagine what a player with that skill set could do for the Jets in the open field.

While Morris hasn’t been perfect (he had a ball stripped free by Dee Milliner following a catch and run yesterday), he has shown some of the traits that led to the Jets picking him up for a look-see this summer.  The Jets have a crowded backfield, but Morris played a big role on special teams for the Tar Heels as both a kick returner and punt team blocker.  The Jets were also said to be intrigued by Morris’ ability to cover kicks as a gunner in the future, so he’s far from a one-trick pony.

With their stated goal of getting younger and faster this off-season, early as it may be, the Jets have to be happy with their decision to have Morris and Anderson flashing some impressive skills right out of the gate.

 

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[flgreen]

Great article Glenn.  Thanks for writing about something other then Fitz/Smith

[AFJF]

6 minutes ago, flgreen said:

Great article Glenn.  Thanks for writing about something other then Fitz/Smith

My pleasure...Morris caught my eye when I watched that game against Louisville after the Jets signed him, and I'm always intrigued by guys with good measurables who get buried by elite college talent, ie Marshall and Peake.

[NYs Stepchild]

Special teams cost us the playoffs more than anything else. Nice to see Mac and Bowles learn on the job. Could be the difference with such a tough schedule this year. 

I hope they follow through and cut veterans if necessary to keep players like this and actually give them a real shot at playing time. 

[joewilly12]

1 minute ago, NYs Stepchild said:

Special teams cost us the playoffs more than anything else. Nice to see Mac and Bowles learn on the job. Could be the difference with such a tough schedule this year. 

I hope they follow through and cut veterans if necessary to keep players like this and actually give them a real shot at playing time. 

Special teams did not cost us the playoffs 3 INTs cost us the playoffs. 

Nice to see the Jets get a break once in awhile and find a diamond in the rough.

[NYs Stepchild]

3 minutes ago, joewilly12 said:

Special teams did not cost us the playoffs 3 INTs cost us the playoffs. 

Nice to see the Jets get a break once in awhile and find a diamond in the rough.

I know you're stuck right there in the 4th quarter of game 16 but we lost 5 other games each of which would have ensured a playoff berth. 

[AFJF]

6 minutes ago, joewilly12 said:

Special teams did not cost us the playoffs 3 INTs cost us the playoffs. 

Nice to see the Jets get a break once in awhile and find a diamond in the rough.

Really?

[joewilly12]

3 minutes ago, NYs Stepchild said:

I know you're stuck right there in the 4th quarter of game 16 but we lost 5 other games each of which would have ensured a playoff berth. 

Its over but when fans keep insinuating we lost because of every other excuse but the real one I feel the need to remind them. 

1 minute ago, AFJF said:

Really?

Yes 3 scores would have won us that game. 

[AFJF]

Just now, joewilly12 said:

Its over but when fans keep insinuating we lost because of every other excuse but the real one I feel the need to remind them. 

Yes 3 scores would have won us that game. 

Thanks man, why did you wait all this time to bring up this fun fact?  Be sure to post it in every single thread on the forum.  I hear some fans have moved on and are ready to talk about things that matter moving forward.  Can't have that.

 

[Rangers9]

14 minutes ago, NYs Stepchild said:

Special teams cost us the playoffs more than anything else. Nice to see Mac and Bowles learn on the job. Could be the difference with such a tough schedule this year. 

I hope they follow through and cut veterans if necessary to keep players like this and actually give them a real shot at playing time. 

Week 17 was a 60 minute game and a number of key factors lost that game including the 3 picks. On STs Quigley shanked a punt that led to a Buff TD. At the end that score was the difference in a 5 point game. And Bullock missed a makeable FG. There were also dropped passes, coverage problems on D etc. Also the team came out and played flat. 

[Jetster]

Macc being an ex scout cares about the bottom of the roster, his late round picks & UDFAs. No more Scotty McKnights.

This is how you manage your salary cap by finding guys like this. Of course none of us know for sure what these guys will become but I love the idea of taking guys from big programs that were stuck behind other studs. Look at Jalin Marshalls production @ Ohio state compared to Stephen Hill who that idiot Tannenbaum took in the 2nd freaking round! 

 

[AFJF]

Just now, Rangers9 said:

Week 17 was a 60 minute game and a number of key factors lost that game including the 3 picks. On STs Quigley shanked a punt that led to a Buff TD. At the end that score was the difference in a 5 point game. And Bullock missed a makeable FG. There were also dropped passes, coverage problems on D etc. Also the team came out and played flat. 

Not even worth trying.  Let him live in week 17 last season.  The rest of us can worry about what's to come.

I'm sure there's some guy sitting somewhere mumbling about Doug Brien every time somebody says the word playoffs.

[Rangers9]

2 minutes ago, AFJF said:

Not even worth trying.  Let him live in week 17 last season.  The rest of us can worry about what's to come.

I'm sure there's some guy sitting somewhere mumbling about Doug Brien every time somebody says the word playoffs.

The 3 picks was pretty bad. And as punishment Fitz lost millions of dollars. But other players could have stepped up too and didn't. I still think that punt was one of the key plays of that game. 

[joewilly12]

13 minutes ago, AFJF said:

Thanks man, why did you wait all this time to bring up this fun fact?  Be sure to post it in every single thread on the forum.  I hear some fans have moved on and are ready to talk about things that matter moving forward.  Can't have that.

 

Im ready to move on lets go Fitzpatrick lead us to the playoffs!

[PepPep]

4 minutes ago, Rangers9 said:

Week 17 was a 60 minute game and a number of key factors lost that game including the 3 picks. On STs Quigley shanked a punt that led to a Buff TD. At the end that score was the difference in a 5 point game. And Bullock missed a makeable FG. There were also dropped passes, coverage problems on D etc. Also the team came out and played flat. 

100% true. That game was close and the Jets lost for a number of dif. reasons. It really should not have come down to a must win week 17 game against a division rival. IMO.

Having said that, once it DOES come down to a must win week 17 game vs a division rival, you expect and rely on your leader and field general to step up. Fitz did not. So he deserves some criticism for that. I'm not saying anyone should have expect the win to ride on his shoulder, I'm saying he had to at least hold up his end of the bargain, and he did not. 

[Augustiniak]

i love mccags' focus on getting faster.  the lbs are finally faster, they have guys who hopefully can return punts and kicks too.  no more decker calling for a fair catch.  

[Mainejet]

Is it possible this ST's unit could go from famine to feast in only one season? Besides kicker, this team was missing pieces in every single phase of special teams last season. It would really be a coup for Mac to land two special teams stand outs in the same offseason. 

[pointman]

Good article. Thanks for that. Love hearing about those undrafted players. Excited to see them in the preseason!

[pajet]

53 minutes ago, joewilly12 said:

Special teams did not cost us the playoffs 3 INTs cost us the playoffs. 

Nice to see the Jets get a break once in awhile and find a diamond in the rough.

I don't know why I am bothering to respond to you, because I have seen the crap you have posted all summer.   But here it goes.  We had one of the worst special teams units in the league which directly contributed to several of our losses.   Remember the shank punt out of our own endzone  giving Buffalo the ball at like the 20 leading to a TD in the last game.  Or the fumbled kickoff out of the EZ in the first game also leading to a TD.  Yeah...Fitz had a bad game we get it....but realistically it was one boneheaded throw, one throw where he was hit before he had a chance to set and another that he forced on the last drive because he really had no choice.   But by all means, keep harping on the three INT's as the sole reason the Jets missed the playoffs in 2016.

[Jetster]

46 minutes ago, Rangers9 said:

Week 17 was a 60 minute game and a number of key factors lost that game including the 3 picks. On STs Quigley shanked a punt that led to a Buff TD. At the end that score was the difference in a 5 point game. And Bullock missed a makeable FG. There were also dropped passes, coverage problems on D etc. Also the team came out and played flat. 

Plus, you could say that if Thompkins hauled in that prayer Fitz threw he would have coasted into the endzone. You know damn well had that been Big Ben to Brown, Bens running down the field to join Brown in a victory dance,lol.

[joewilly12]

8 minutes ago, pajet said:

I don't know why I am bothering to respond to you, because I have seen the crap you have posted all summer.   But here it goes.  We had one of the worst special teams units in the league which directly contributed to several of our losses.   Remember the shank punt out of our own endzone  giving Buffalo the ball at like the 20 leading to a TD in the last game.  Or the fumbled kickoff out of the EZ in the first game also leading to a TD.  Yeah...Fitz had a bad game we get it....but realistically it was one boneheaded throw, one throw where he was hit before he had a chance to set and another that he forced on the last drive because he really had no choice.   But by all means, keep harping on the three INT's as the sole reason the Jets missed the playoffs in 2016.

You're right you shouldn't have bothered because you like all the rest of the excuse makers FitzNation crowd will never admit that he lost the game with the 3 INTs in a row,we win that game we are in the playoffs where I know we could have beat Denver. 

Ive moved on and welcome Fitzpatrick and look forward to a new and exciting season. 

You on the other hand why did you bother. 

[Mainejet]

1 hour ago, joewilly12 said:

Special teams did not cost us the playoffs 3 INTs cost us the playoffs. 

Nice to see the Jets get a break once in awhile and find a diamond in the rough.

Special Teams had EVERYTHING with why the Jets did not make the playoffs. The unit was nothing short of awful last season and by my count it cost the team TWO wins last season. Had we won those games, the Buffalo game would have been about getting the 3rd stringers some playing time. It would have been irrelevant.

Everyone on this board knows you hate Fitzpatrick. Equally, everyone on this board knows I hate Geno. The decisions that the team made up until now have nothing to do with you or I.

They made a decision whether you like it or not. Now, like you tried making the point to me a few days ago, are you going to root for the team or are not going to support the team because you didn't like the decisions they made?

[Rangers9]

Just now, Jetster said:

Plus, you could say that if Thompkins hauled in that prayer Fitz threw he would have coasted into the endzone. You know damn well had that been Big Ben to Brown, Bens running down the field to join Brown in a victory dance,lol.

That play was a lot closer than some people say it was. Thompkins caught the ball. If the DB hadn't made a great play or we'd have gotten some luck and he would have fallen down or been in the wrong place it might have been a TD. Definitely it was a steal-able game

[joewilly12]

Just now, Mainejet said:

Special Teams had EVERYTHING with why the Jets did not make the playoffs. The unit was nothing short of awful last season and by my count it cost the team TWO wins last season. Had we won those games, the Buffalo game would have been about getting the 3rd stringers some playing time. It would have been irrelevant.

Everyone on this board knows you hate Fitzpatrick. Equally, everyone on this board knows I hate Geno. The decisions that the team made up until now have nothing to do with you or I.

They made a decision whether you like it or not. Now, like you tried making the point to me a few days ago, are you going to root for the team or are not going to support the team because you didn't like the decisions they made?

Fitzpatrick lost the 2 Buffalo games and the Texans game single-handedly excuse makers FitzNation like yourself always looking to lay the blame elsewhere. 

New season we are 0-0 i root for Fitzpatrick to take us to the playoffs

You forgot i root for the team and any player in a Jets uniform 

I hate no Jets player

[Jetster]

6 minutes ago, pajet said:

I don't know why I am bothering to respond to you, because I have seen the crap you have posted all summer.   But here it goes.  We had one of the worst special teams units in the league which directly contributed to several of our losses.   Remember the shank punt out of our own endzone  giving Buffalo the ball at like the 20 leading to a TD in the last game.  Or the fumbled kickoff out of the EZ in the first game also leading to a TD.  Yeah...Fitz had a bad game we get it....but realistically it was one boneheaded throw, one throw where he was hit before he had a chance to set and another that he forced on the last drive because he really had no choice.   But by all means, keep harping on the three INT's as the sole reason the Jets missed the playoffs in 2016.

Also the Eagles game. Quigley actually hits a nice punt that forces Sproles to catch it on the sideline, all we had to do was break down & force him out of bounds. But like 3 of our guys are running out of control & run right past him. As they say the rest is history. Like someone else stated in Buffalo, shanked punt 7 points, missed makeable FG, that's 10 f*cking points right there & a trip to the playoffs.

[Sarge4Tide]

Marshall seems like a good bet to at least be on the Practice Squad if not the active roster 

[pajet]

4 minutes ago, joewilly12 said:

You're right you shouldn't have bothered because you like all the rest of the excuse makers FitzNation crowd will never admit that he lost the game with the 3 INTs in a row,we win that game we are in the playoffs where I know we could have beat Denver. 

Ive moved on and welcome Fitzpatrick and look forward to a new and exciting season. 

You on the other hand why did you bother. 

Fitz's poor play contributed to the loss, but to say Fitz lost the game/cost the playoffs by himself is ridiculous.   It is a TEAM game.  You made the original comment that it wasn't the special teams that cost us the playoffs.   So you'd be fine going into the season with the same level of inept special teams play we had last year.   I agree that Fitz was a contributing factor to the loss in week 17.   Can you admit that there were other factors that cost that game and others.   And I bothered because seeing the same garbage at the start of training camp that was posted all summer about the 3int's finally annoyed me to the point of responding to the nonsense.

 

[Jetster]

6 minutes ago, Rangers9 said:

That play was a lot closer than some people say it was. Thompkins caught the ball. If the DB hadn't made a great play or we'd have gotten some luck and he would have fallen down or been in the wrong place it might have been a TD. Definitely it was a steal-able game

Oh that play was close as sh*t! I watched that over many times & think Thompkins should have pulled that in. The CB overran it actually & was totally past the play had he caught it. He would have jogged in. But that's the difference between a Thompkins & a Marshall/ Holmes/ Brown/ AJ Green type of WR. Let's hope Jalin Marshall takes Thompkins spot.

[Mainejet]

12 minutes ago, joewilly12 said:

Fitzpatrick lost the 2 Buffalo games and the Texans game single-handedly excuse makers FitzNation like yourself always looking to lay the blame elsewhere. 

New season we are 0-0 i root for Fitzpatrick to take us to the playoffs

You forgot i root for the team and any player in a Jets uniform 

I hate no Jets player

You obviously hate Fitz and every single one of your posts this offseason have left others with that impression.

[Mainejet]

6 minutes ago, pajet said:

Fitz's poor play contributed to the loss, but to say Fitz lost the game/cost the playoffs by himself is ridiculous.   It is a TEAM game.  You made the original comment that it wasn't the special teams that cost us the playoffs.   So you'd be fine going into the season with the same level of inept special teams play we had last year.   I agree that Fitz was a contributing factor to the loss in week 17.   Can you admit that there were other factors that cost that game and others.   And I bothered because seeing the same garbage at the start of training camp that was posted all summer about the 3int's finally annoyed me to the point of responding to the nonsense.

 

Agreed

[ylekram]

16 minutes ago, joewilly12 said:

Fitzpatrick lost the 2 Buffalo games and the Texans game single-handedly excuse makers FitzNation like yourself always looking to lay the blame elsewhere. 

New season we are 0-0 i root for Fitzpatrick to take us to the playoffs

You forgot i root for the team and any player in a Jets uniform 

I hate no Jets player

statements like this are why there isn't a single poster on this board who takes your seriously.

[DoubleDown]

Same old boring arguments for 8 months now. Yawn. Can we please just move on already?

I'm really hoping the Jets found a diamond in the rough with Marshall. He seems to have all the skills necessary to be a player in this league.

[faba]

Field position is so important the Jets last year lost that battle every game with special team play

[roscoeword]

Hope Morris is the speedy break-away threat we haven't had since Leon Washington. I miss him, and Bruce Harper too.

[joewilly12]

12 minutes ago, Mainejet said:

You obviously hate Fitz and every single one of your posts this offseason have left others with that impression.

I hate no player in a Jets uniform I root for them all to do good. 

All you post is the same old drivel day in and day out.